Poultry roost



Aug. 15, 1939 w. F. NIEMEYER POULTRY ROOST Filed Nov. 15, 1937 WaZ fer F N/emeyez;

Patented Aug. 15, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

This invention relates to chicken roosts and has for its primary object the provision of a structure which will provide a vessel to contain a volatile substance whereby the fumes from the substance will be brought into proximity with the chickens or other fowls on the roost as a means for controlling mites, lice, and such vermin.

A further object of the invention is to: provide a structure for the above indicated purpose that will automatically increase its action when the roosts are occupied as compared to when they are vacant by utilizing the heat of the chickens to increase vaporization of the chemical employed.

These and other objects of the invention ineluding increased sanitation, convenience in filling and cleaning, and cheapness in construction, will become apparent to those versed in the art in the following description of one particular form of the invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which- Fig. 1 is a top perspective view of a fragment of a roost bar embodying the invention; and

2, a transverse section through the bar.

Like characters of reference indicate like parts 5 in the two views in the drawing.

The roost consists essentially of a hollow, tubular bar Hi closed at each end such as by the cap ii so that a quantity of volatile chemical l2, preferably liquid may be placed in the tube. This 30 chemical may be any of the well known commercially obtainable lice repellants generally a phenol or coal tar derivative such as has heretofore been utilized as a spray or paint around roosts.

The bar H3 is further provided with a series of 35 holes l3 preferably arranged in two spaced apart lines, each equally spaced from the uppermost part of the bar. These holes are located sufficiently high in the bar it] so fumes coming from the liquid 52 will be discharged upwardly and 40 somewhat outwardly.

In order to prevent otherwise normal filling up of these holes It by dirt generally accumulating; shield strip M, herein shown as a wood strip is positioned along the top side of the bar 5 i9 and secured thereto in any suitable manner, such as by screws IS. The strip I4 is formed to have suiiicient clearance over the holes [3 to permit free escape of the fumes: or volatile matter, but the strip overhangs the holes: sufiiciently to prevent the feet of the poultry from coming in contact with the bar about those holes I3, and also to prevent dirt dropping vertically down 5 thereon. In order to facilitate filling of the bar ID with the insecticide 12, a filler spout I6 is provided suitably covered with a detachable cap ll.

When the poultry sits on the roost, the feathers 10 drop down over the feet and over the strip l4 out both ways from the bar I!) and the escaping fumes pass upwardly into the lifted or flufied out feathers in a very effectual manner all during the night. Furthermore, the heat from the 15 poultry warms up the insecticide l2 and thus accelerates the evaporation during the roosting period. The insecticide cools off after the, chickens leave the roost and thus the rate of evaporation is reduced.

While I have herein shown and described my invention in the one particular form, it is obvious that structural changes may be employed without departing from the spirit of the invention, and I therefore do not desire to be limited to that form beyond the limitations necessarily imposed by the following claim.

I claim:

A poultry roost comprising a horizontal cylindrical metal tube closed at its ends retaining an insecticide and having a plurality of holes in two parallel rows for escape of insecticide fumes or vapors, and a strip of wood contacting and secured to the tube between but remote from the two rows of holes and projecting laterally thereof at each longitudinal edge to be contacted by and to deflect said fumes, each row of holes being positioned directly below the bottom surface of the strip of wood and out of contact therewith, the portion of the strip of wood between the rows of holes being directly in contact with the exterior surface of the tube between the rows of holes, whereby poultry sitting on the roost supply heat to aid in volatilizing said insecticide in the tube and receive the escaping and deflected volatile matter under the feathers.

' WALTER F. NIEMEYER. 

